Mop with wringing attachment



June 4, 1957 (3. ROGERS MOP WITH WRINGING ATTACHMENT 5 Sheets-S heet 1 Filed April 1, 1953 INVEN TOR. ZEVA/VTC B06525.

June 4, 1957 L. 0. ROGERS MOP WITH WRINGING ATTACHMENT Filed April 1, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 44 f J I 1 15-4 I INVENTOR.

LE v4 NT C. 2065/25 Array/v5) June 4, 1957 L. c. ROGERS MOP WITH WRINGING ATTACHMENT Filed April 1, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ZLVA/VT C. B06523.

INVENTOR.

f ayw United States PatentO 2,794,198 MOP WITH WRINGING ATTACHMENT Levant C. Rogers, Delton, Mich. Application April 1, 1953, Serial No. 346,163 6 Claims. (Cl. 119) This invention relates to improvements in mops with wringing attachments forming a part thereof and having a mopping element in the nature of a spongelike member.

Mops of this type are formed of two units or parts connected together for relative movement between a use position and a wringing position. The wringing attachment of the mop constitutes a pair of opposed rollers mounted in a frame, and the mop-ping element includes the sponge member and a carrier therefor adapted for movement relative to the frame with the mopping element between the rollers and in a position to be compressed by the rollers as the two units are moved relative to each other from the use position to a wringing position.

A handle member is carried by one unit and constitutes the means by which the mop is manipulated during use thereof. A hand lever or wringing and the two handles are so associated that they may be grasped and swung or moved to effect the wringing operation. The mopping element being formed of a sponge material has a high degree of compressibility and, if it escapes from a position between the rollers, its expansion relative to the narrow spacing of the rollers prevents its return to a position between the rollers and thereby renders the device inoperative. In such case considerable difliculty is experienced in re-assembling the parts in operative relation. Because of this factor, that is, to avoid an action in which the rollers disengage or move past the cleaning element, it is customary to limit the stroke of the wringing action short of the free end of the cleaning member. This limits the compression of the sponge and limits the liquid extraction which occurs during wringing if the wringer rollers are positioned in fixed relation as common in devices of this type, as illustrated in Patent No. 2,108,727, dated February 15, 1938.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a mop with a wringing attachment in which the parts are so constructed and arranged that the spacing of the wringer rollers varies during the wringing operation in a predetermined manner, thatis, in which the spacing of the rollers varies according to the position of the parts in the wringing stroke.

A further object is to provide a device of this character in which cam levers are employed to control the spacing of wringer rollers, said cam levers operating to progressively swing the wringing rollers toward each other as the action of wringing a sponge member progresses toward 7 a terminal or maximum wringing position.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which is simple in construction, trouble-free in operation, easy to assemble, light in weight, sturdy in construction, and comparatively inexpensive.

Other objects will be apparent from the following specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an end view of the device, illustrating the same in use or mopping position;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 withparts broken away lever is also provided, 1

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and parts in section and with the mop in an intermediate position relative to its wringing stroke;

Fig. 3 is a front view of the mop with parts broken away and parts in section;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is an end view of the mop with parts broken away and parts in section and illustrating the manner in which the mopping element can be applied to and removed from the structure.

Fig. 6 is an end view of another embodiment of the mop with parts broken away and parts in section.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 10 designates a handle which may be of any suitable length to permit the same to be grasped by a user standing erect to manipulate the mop upon the floor. A metal frame member 12 is mounted upon the end of the handle 10. This frame includes a ferrule 14 fitting upon and gripping the handle. The ferrule has a portion 16 of substantially semi-circular cross-section projecting from one end thereof and terminating in laterally projecting ears 18. A semicircular clamp member 20 confronts the parts 16 and is provided with'laterally projecting ears 22. The ears 18 and 22 are apertured and securing means pass therethrough to draw the clamp member 20 toward the ferrule portion 16 to firmly grip or engage the end of the handle 10. Such securing means are here shown as a bolt 24 and a nut 26 threaded on the bolt.

The metal frame member 22 flares from the ferrule 14 at 28 to define a bifurcated structure extending at an angle to the axis of the ferrule and the handle. The structure includes a front wall 30 and a rear wall 32 extending at an angle to the axis of the handle but substantially parallel to each other. The walls 30 and 32 are each of substantial length and breadth. The front wall 30 has longitudinal flanges 34 extending longitudinally thereof at each end thereof, and the rear wall 32 has similar flanges 36 extending lengthwise at each end thereof. The inner edges of the flanges 34 and 36 are spaced apart a substantial distance, as best seen in Fig. 1, and are joined by a cross flange structure 38 adjacent the upper end portions of the front and rear walls and below the ferrule portion 14. The frame structure thus defined is completely open at its bottom, as viewed in Fig. l, and has a restricted but vertically elongated opening at each end thereof extending from the open bottom edge for the major portion of the height of the housing structure and terminating at the bottom edges of the flanges 38. This housing structure is preferably formed of sheet metal and is substantially rigid by reason of the shape thereof and the reinforcing functions served by the flanges 34, 36 and 38.

A cam lever 40 is pivotally connected at 42 intermediate its ends to each of the flanges 34 and 36 adjacent the lower or free end of that flange. Thus four cam levers are provided, as best seen in Fig. 4, the same being arranged in pairs, with two cam levers mounted in spaced relation adjacent the front wall, and two cam levers mounted in spaced relation adjacent the rear wall, and the cam levers carried by opposite walls being positioned substantially in register. The cam levers 40 preferably constitute metal bars or plates which are elongated, with a portion thereof extending into the hollow frame and a portion thereof projecting downwardly beyond the free or open end of that frame. Cam levers 40 are preferably longitudinally curved and are so oriented with respect to the frame that they may swing therein about their pivot axes 42. The outer or projecting ends of the cam levers are apertured and journal elongated substantially rigid shafts 44 which extend parallel to each other and to the adjacent front and rear walls 30, 32. Each shaft 44 mounts. a wringer roller consisting of a. plurality of sec..- tions, there being one central wringer roller section 46 mounted upon each shaft 44* between the cam levers 40 and end roller sections 48 mounted' on the portions of the shafts 44 projecting outwardly relative to. the cam levers 40'. The roller sections preferably have snug frictional fits on shafts 44. As best seen in Fig. 3, the shaft 44 is of a length substantially greater than: the width of the frame or the frame walls therefrom at'each end of said frame' structure.

A mopping element is provided in the device consisting ofa sponge or like porous, absorbent, and compressible member. synthetic rubber although it may be formed from other types of porous material, such as synthetic resin or socalled plastic on cellulose artificial sponges. The spong is of'a length substantially equal tothe length of the rod 44, and, when expanded, is of a-width substantially equal to the spacing between the front and rear walls 30 and 32, as best seen in Figs. 1 and 4. The sponge or mopping element St} is mounted in a carrier inxthe nature of a,

metal channel which compressibly grips one longitudinal marginal portion thereof. The channel has a web or backing portion 52 from which leg portions 54 converge, the spacing of the leg portions being substantially. less than the expanded or normal width of the cleaning element Stl so that the channel leg portions '4 grip and hold the sponge therebetween. The channel extends substantially full length of the sponge although the sponge will preferably project slightly from each end thereof. The width of the channel is slightly lessthan the spacing between the inner edges ofthe flanges 34' and 36 so that the channel may pass between said flanges and the. front and rear walls to enter the. hollow frame.

A handle member 6t) is pivoted to the frame as at the rear wall thereof, and for this purpose an aperture 62 is.

formed in the rear wall 32. Bars 64- are. struck from the rear wall at opposite sides of the apertures 62 and in. turn are apcrtured to receive a pivot member 66 for pivotal connection with the lever 6G. The lever 64 extends into the hollow fork being tending at an angle to the longitudinal center of the adjacent. end of the lever so as to form a lower hook or jaw portion '72 of greater extent than an upper hook or jaw portion. A link 74 carried by the channel carrier of the sponge element fits in the aperture 68. Inv the preferred form the link 74 is in the nature of a bail, as best seen in Fig. 3, having a central portion 76 offset from end portions 73, the end portions being ali ned and fitting withinjournal members 80' carried by the back member 52 of:

the carrier channel.

The parts are arranged as illustrated so. that in their normal position, as shown in Fig. 1, the rollers 46, 48lbear against the opposite sides of the cleaning elementadja-- cent the inner or free edges of the channel legs 54. In this arrangement the lever an is swung to a position adjacent to the handle it}, said lever preferably having a bend at 61 which is adapted to engage the free end of the ferrule and thereby limits the downward movement of the cleaning element. In this position the channel is positioned adjacent to the level of the pivot axes 42, and it will be observed that the width of the back 52 of the channel is substantially equal to or only slightly less than the spacing between the inner edges of the cam levers 40 at the level of the pivots 42. The rollers 46, 48 bear upon the flared shoulder portions of the cleaning element 50 below and laterally of the channel, and in the use of the device pressure applied to the handle for the purpose of mopping is transmitted through the frame and the cam levers and the rollers onto the sponge. In this way pressure is applied to the cleaning element for mopping and cleaningpurposes, and the cleaning element itself prevents Ell and 32 and projects I prefer to employ asponge of rubber or frame and terminates in. a forked portion, the: defined by an aperture. 68' and a slot 70 ex-' the. rollers from contacting. the surface being mopped or cleaned.

When it is desired to wring the mopping element, as after immersion thereof in cleaning fluid, the handle 10 is grasped in one hand and the free upper end of the handle lever 60 is grasped in the other hand, and the two are swung about the pivot 66 in. a direction to pull the cleaning element upwardly into the frame. As this movement continues it reaches the position shown in Fig. 2 and continues upwardly therepast until an upper limit of movement is reached. Such a limit may be provided by means of a stop, and as here shown in Fig. 2, such a stop may be formed by inset-ting a portion of the front of the frame at 86. This inset portion is apertured at a point substantially vertically aligned with the inner end of the ever 6t and a stop is mounted in that aperture to project into the hollow frame. As here shown that stop may comprise a bolt 88 mounting two or more nuts 96 which clamp it in desired position. The inner end of the shank of the bolt 88 is adapted to interceptthe free inner end of the lever 60' and thereby stop the swinging of the lever 60. The bolt is elongated and the'nuts may be located at any position along, the length thereof so as to accommodate adjustment of the limit position of the stop.

During the operation of the device by the relative swinging of the parts 10 and 60 to cause the progressive passage of the cleaning element between the wringing levers, the position of thoserollers" is controlled by the shape of the inner edges of the cam levers 40. Since the spacing between the rollers is. substantially less than the normal or expanded width of the sponge cleaning element 50, the expansible properties of the cleaning element itself tend to separate the two rollers. This tendency is resisted or prevented however, especially when the channel reaches a level, wherein its back 52 is above the level of the pivots 42, by reason of the fact that the inner edges of the cam levers engage the opposite sides of the channel, and thus the rollers are positively prevented from swinging outwardly unless the cam shape permits an outward swinging,v as might be possible. In the usual case, however, it is desirable to extract as much water as possible from the cleaning-element, and for this purpose the cam edges will be of such a shape that the spacing between rollers is decreased as'the cleaning element is raised. In particular, as'theparts approach the end of the wringing stroke, the rollers will be swunginwardly toward each other to more tightly compress the sponge; In order toaccommodate this action, it isnecessary that the cam levers- 40 shall be of substantially uniform width throughout their length so that the parts will not wedge or bind and so that the cam levers will not serve as stops to limit the upward movement of the cleaning element within the frame; It will be understood that the curvature of the inner edges of the cam lever may vary and thatthe shape here shown is illustrative and is not intended-to be limiting.

The primary purpose of the construction, namely, to cause an increase in the wringing pressureapplied as the device approaches the. end of the wringing operation, is served by the cam action of the levers which causes the lower roller carrying the ends of the: levers to be; swung inwardly toward each other as the upper ends of the; levers are engaged and spread apart from their normal position by the metal channel. The return action, that is, the lowering of the sponge, permits the parts to resume the position shown in Fig. 1, and the pressure exerted by the rollers decreases progressively or according to the curvature of the cam lever until the normal pressure is exerted.

It will be observed that the rollers are prevented from passing the free edge of the sponge 50 by virtueof the stop 88 which is engaged by the lever 60; It will also be seen that the hooked engagement between the lever ment longitudinally and parallel to the rollers. At the same time the wringing element can be displaced or substituted easily by merely swinging the link 74 through the opening 70 in the end of the lever, as illustrated partially in Fig. 5. This makes the replacement of cleaning elements a simple matter. It will be understood that, while the swinging link 74 is here shown, any type of connector which will serve to connect the channel to the end of the lever may be provided.

Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 6. In this form the roller carrying frame preferably constitutes a stamping of arched construction having side walls 100 joined together by a curved top wall 102 and reinforced at their ends by intumed end flanges 104 which merge with a top flange 106. This frame has a configured opening 108 therein, through a part of which extends one-half of a ferrule portion 110 of U-shaped cross-section provided with longitudinal marginal flanges 112. A flange 114 of substantial size or area projects from the lower end of the member 110 into face engagement with the inner surface of the top wall 102 of the frame around the opening 108, and said flange is welded or otherwise fixedly secured to the frame part which it engages. The ferrule is completed by a second part 116 of U-shaped cross-section having longitudinal marginal flanges 118 which are fixedly secured to the flanges 112 by suitable securing means 120, such as bolts and nuts here shown. The ferrule provides means for mounting the handle 122 in fixed relation to the frame 100-106.

The flanges 104 at each end of the frame are spaced apart and lie in substantially a common plane, and to each of the flanges 104 is pivoted at 124 a cam lever member in the nature of an elongated rigid metal bar bent intermediate its ends to provide an upper portion 126 extending at an angle to a lower portion 128. The pivot 124 is preferably located substantially at the junction between the angular parts 126 and 128. At the free lower end of the part 128 is journaled an elongated rigid rod 130 which extends substantially parallel to the adjacent side wall 100 and is journaled at spaced points by two of the cam levers. Each of the rods 130 mounts a plurality of roller sections 132, the arrangement being such that the rods and the rollers extend beyond the ends of the frame.

A rigid metal channel 134 having converging side walls and a back 136 narrower than the spacing between the inner edges of the frame flanges 104 serves to mount and grip an elongated sponge cleaning element 138 in such a manner that a portion of the sponge flares from the mouth of the channel. The channel and the sponge are of substantially the same length as the rollers 132. A hook member 140 is carried by the channel back 136.

The ferrule part 116 is preferably provided with a pair of spaced laterally outwardly projecting legs 142 at its lower end, and to these legs is pivoted at 144 an intermediate part of a lever member 146. This lever member is preferably substantially U-shaped in cross-section and is pivoted transversely thereof so that the pivot member 144 engages laterally spaced parts of the lever. The lever passes through the opening 108 in the frame and has a notch 148 in its upper surface at its free end which serves to seat the hook or loop 140 on the sponge channel. The lever may include an offset hand grip portion 150 which extends alongside the lower portion of the grip handle 122. The lever 146 is provided with an aperture spaced slightly above the pivot points 144 thereof, and through this aperture extends an elongated screwthreaded stop member 152 which has a pair of nuts 154 threaded thereon and engaging opposite surfaces of the lever member 146. The free end of the stop member 152 extends into engagement with the ferrule member 116 in the normal position of the parts as here illustrated.

This construction posesses the same advantages as the embodiment of the invention described previously. In the normal relation of the parts the back 136 of the channel will be located substantially at the level of the pivots 124 for the cam lever, and the rollers 132 will bear upon the flared shoulders of the sponge 138. The angular relation of the parts 126 and 128 of each cam lever provides a progressive action for squeezing the sponge 138 between the rollers as the lever 146 is swung to shift the parts in such manner as to draw the sponge channel and the sponge upwardly into the rigid frame 100. The arrangement of the stop 152 makes possible the adjustment of the normal relation of the rollers and the sponge 138 and makes possible an adjustment of these parts so as to avoid or reduce chatter of the device in use by maintaining pressure of the rollers upon the sponge.

Another function of the stop 152 is that it permits a substantial swing of the lever in a direction toward the ferrule and the handle when the stop is retracted, that is, is adjusted toward the lower left as viewed in Fig. 6. This swinging of the lever is in a direction tending to draw or move the lower part of the lever downward and to the left and in a direction and manner which facilitates unhooking of the link or loop from the lever notch as required for the purpose of releasing the mopping member for replacement thereof.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be understood that changes in the construction may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A cleaning device comprising a handle, a cleaning unit including a carrier and a compressible cleaning element mounted in said carrier to project therefrom, a wringing unit, one unit being mounted on said handle, means for shifting said units relative to each other to wring said cleaning element, said wringing unit including a rigid support arching said carrier, a pair of wringing rollers engaging opposite sides of said cleaning element, and levers pivoted intermediate their ends to said support and journaling said rollers spaced from their pivots, said levers having cam edges extending longitudinally thereof at the end portions and adjacent the pivots of said levers remote from said rollers for engaging said carrier and operative to control the spacing of said rollers as said wringing action progresses, the portions of said cam edges adjacent to said lever pivots being spaced apart a distance approximating the width of said carrier and less than the spacing between the arch-defining parts of said support, the ends of said levers remote from said rollers converging.

2. A cleaning device as defined in claim 1, wherein said shifting means constitutes a lever pivoted to said rigid support and pivotally connected to said carrier.

3. A cleaning device a defined in claim 1, wherein said shifting means constitutes a lever pivoted to said rigid support, and a link pivoted to and connecting said shifting lever and said carrier.

4. A cleaning device as defined in claim 1, wherein said shifting means constitutes a lever pivoted to said support and terminating in a forked portion defined in part by an aperture, and means carried by said carrier and insertable into said aperture between the parts of said forked portion.

5. A cleaning device as defined in claim 1, wherein said shifting means constitutes a lever pivoted to said support and terminating in a hook-defining portion, and a projection on said carrier having detachable hooked engagement with said hook-defining portion.

6. A mop comprising a handle, a rigid bifurcated frame fixedly mounted on said handle and including spaced front and rear portions, a pair of spaced similar cam levers pivoted on a comon axis intermediate their ends to each of said front and rear frame portions with the outer end portions thereof projecting beyond said front and rear frame portions, the pivot axes of said lever pairs being substantially parallel, the inner longitudinal edges of said levers being curved for at least part of their length and normally converging toward their inner. free ends, said edges projecting inwardly from the frame portions mounting the levers, a wringing roller journaled by the projecting end portions of each pair of cam levers, said wringing rollers carried by opposite pairs of levers being substantially parallel and spaced apart, a cleaning unit including a rigid elongated carrier and an expansible cleaning element flaring from said carrier to a free end portion of a normal width greater than the spacing of said rollers, the portion of said cleaning element adjacent said carrier being normally positioned between said rollers, said carrier being of a width approximating the spacing between the portion of the inner edges: of said levers adjacent said lever pivots, whereby said curved inner. lever edges are. adapted to bear' slidably on op posite sides of said carrier,v and means for shifting one of said cleaning units and frame relative. to the other to 8 progressively compress said cleaning element between said rollers, the spacing between said rollers being decreased as' they approach the outermost portion of said cleaning element by pivoting of said levers as their norm'ally converging curved edges are spread by said carner.

References Citedin the file of this patent V UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,201,079 Camden May 14, 1940 2,224,462 Williams Dec. 10, 1940 2,632,903 Weger Mar. 11, 1953 2,651,069 Hoffman Sept. 8, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 1367 19 Great Britain Dec. 24, 1919 

